Delivery point validation system

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention encode a list so users of the list may make inquiries to the coded list without the entire content of the list being revealed to the users. Once each item in the list has been encoded by an encoder, a bit array with high and low values may be used to represent the items in the list. The bit array may be embodied in a validation system for allowing users to query the list to determine whether an inquiry item is on the list. The validation system determines which bits to check by executing the same coding process executed by the encoder. If all the bits are high, then the inquiry item is determined to be part of the list, if at least one bit is low, then the inquiry item is determined not to be part of the original list.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for validating orconfirming information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many occasions arise when validation or confirmation of information isdesired before taking a particular action. For example, a person maywant to confirm that an address is a valid address before sending avaluable item or sensitive information to the address. As anotherexample, a delivery business may want to confirm an address beforesending a product. There are also occasions when validating an addresscan be lifesaving. For example, fire departments, ambulance companies,and police departments may want to confirm an address to efficientlyrespond to an emergency. There are times when other types ofinformation, besides addresses, need to be validated or confirmed. Forexample, a traffic officer may need to confirm that a driver's licenseis valid before permitting a person to drive.

Despite the need to validate or confirm information, in today'sinformation technology age, businesses and individuals are concernedabout privacy and information security. Furthermore, businesses considerinformation to be a valuable company asset. Because of the concernsabout information security and the view that information is an asset,owners of information may want to keep their information private andsecure. On the other hand, an owner of information may also want toexploit the information by providing the information to others. Forexample, an owner of information comprising a list of all persons withaccess to a building may want to provide the list to a security companyso that the security company may confirm whether a person seekingentrance into the building is on the list. However, for privacy reasons,the owner may not want to reveal to the security company all persons onthe list. That is, the owner may feel that the list should only berevealed one person at a time as a person seeks entrance to thebuilding. If a person on the list never seeks entrance to the building,then the security company never needs to know that the person is on thelist. Based on the above concerns, it would be advantageous if an ownerof information could provide the information to others for inquirypurposes, the information being in an encrypted format so thatinformation may remain confidential.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method forrepresenting a list of items using a bit array wherein each bit in thebit array is initialized to a first value. The method comprisesconverting each item into a N-bit object and determining bit positionsbased on the N-bit object. The method further comprises setting bits ofthe bit array to a second value at the determined bit positions.

There is further provided a method for determining whether an inquiryitem is on a list of items. The list of items is represented by a bitarray having first and second values. The method comprises convertingthe inquiry item into a N-bit object in a same manner that an item on alist of items is converted to produce a bit array representing the listof items. The method further comprises determining bit positions basedon the N-bit object in a same manner that bit positions are determinedfor producing the bit array. Still further, the method comprisesdetermining that the inquiry item is on the list if the bits of the bitarray equal a second value at the determined bit positions anddetermining that the inquiry item is not on the list if at least one bitof the bit array does not equal a second value at the predetermined bitpositions.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious fromthe description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theobjects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained bymeans of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory onlyand are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the inventionand together with the description, serve to explain the principles ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a process of converting a list of items into a bitarray consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a process of determining whether an inquiry item ison a list represented by a bit array consistent with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an encoder for encoding a list of items into a bitarray consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method of extracting bit samplesconsistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a validation system for determining whether aninquiry item is on a list consistent with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary method of standardizing an addressconsistent with an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiment of theinvention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention encode a listso that users of the list may make inquires to the coded list withoutthe entire content of the list being revealed to the users. FIG. 1illustrates an example of a coded list 110 that may be derived from alist 105 based on an encoder 107 in accordance with the presentinvention. The list 105 may comprise addresses, names, license numbers,or any other type of information. In this example, the coded list 110 isan array of bits (i.e., 1, 2, 3, etc.) The size of the bit array 110 maybe chosen to reduce the number of false positives that may result when auser makes an inquiry to the list 105, as discussed in greater detailbelow.

Each item 102 in the list 105 turns on one or more bits in the bit array110. That is, initially all the bits in the bit array 110 are low andare changed to high based on an item 102 in the list 105. Morespecifically, each item 102 in the list 105, once encoded by encoder107, indicates which bit or bits to turn on in the bit array 110 torepresent the item 102. For example, the first item 102 in the list 105may turn on bits 1, 3, 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The second item 102 inthe list 105 may turn on bits 5, 7, and 10, and so on. Multiple items102 in the list 105 may turn on the same bit. For example, a first,fourth, and tenth item 102 in the list 105 may turn on bit 11.Practically speaking, once a bit is turned on by an item 102, it remainson and is unaffected if other items 102 indicate that it should beturned on.

Each item 102 may turn on one or multiple bits in the bit array 110. Inthe example above, each item 102 turns on three (3) bits. However, agreater or lesser number of bits may be turned on for each item 102. Thenumber of bits to turn on may be chosen to reduce the number of falsepositives that may result when a user makes an inquiry to the list 105,as discussed in greater detail below.

Once the encoder 107 has encoded each item 102 in the list 105, a bitarray 110 with high and low values is used to represent the items 102 inthe list 105. The bit array 110 may then be used by third parties forinquiry purposes without the content of the list 105 being revealed.Referring to FIG. 2, the bit array 110 may be embodied in a validationsystem 207 for allowing users to query the list 105 to determine whetheran inquiry item 202 is on the list 105. For example, assume that the bitarray 110 represents a list of all person with access to a building.Users of the bit array 110 may query the list 105 to determine whether aname is on the list 105 by inputting the name, i.e., the inquiry item202, into the validation system 207. The validation system 207 mayreturn a “yes” response, indicating that the name is on the list, or mayreturn a “no” response, indicating the name is not on the list.

The inquiry item 202 undergoes the same encoding process that anoriginal list item 102 undergoes. That is, the validation system 207executes the same encoding process executed by the encoder 107. Recallthat for the original list items 102, the encoder 107 determines whichbits of the bit array 110 to turn on. For an inquiry item 202, thevalidation system 207 determines which bits of the bit array 110 tocheck. If all the bits checked are high, then the inquiry item 202 isdetermined to be part of the list. If at least one of the bits checkedis low, then the inquiry item 202 is determined not to be part of theoriginal list 105. For example, assume that that the validation system207 processes the inquiry item 202, determining which bits to check. InFIG. 2A, the validation system 207 checks bits 1, 5, and 7. Because bits1, 5, and 7 are all high, the validation system 207 determines that theinquiry item 202 is on the original list 105 and returns an affirmative.As another example, in FIG. 2B, the validation system 207 checks bits 2,3, and 11. Because bit 2 is low, the validation system 207 determinesthat the inquiry item 202 is not on the original list 105 and returns anegative response. In this way, an owner of a list may provide a codedlist to third parties to determine whether an item is on a list, withoutrevealing the content of the list.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary system network 700 in which to practicethe present invention. The network 700 consists of a server 710, aworkstation 720, and a communication link 730. The server 710 may storethe bit array 110 and validation system 207 used to determine whether aninquiry item 202 is on a list 105. The workstation 720 may be a personalcomputer having a keyboard for inputting an inquiry item 202. Thecommunication link 730 transmits the inquiry item 202 to the server 710wherein the validation system 207 processes the inquiry item 202 andreturns an affirmative or negative response via the communication link730 to the workstation 720. The network 700 may be a local area network(LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) to include the Internet, for example.The network 700 may be wireless. In an alternate embodiment, astand-alone workstation may store the bit array 110 and validationsystem 207 and a user may input an inquiry item 202 via theworkstation's keyboard or other input device to determine locallywhether the inquiry item 202 is on a list 105.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary encoder 107 for encoding a list 105,resulting in an array of bits 110, as described above. The encoder 107comprises a standardizer 310, a hashing function unit 320, an extractioncircuit 330, and an offset circuit 340.

The standardizer 310 converts an input into a standard format prior toencoding. This step may be desirable for a list that may containmultiple variations of the same information. For example, a list thatcontains addresses may have multiple entries of the same address indifferent formats. It may be more efficient to encode a singlerepresentation of the same item than to encode each variation of theitem. For instance, assume that multiple variations for an address areprovided on a list. The entries include: 123 Main Street, Apartment 456;123 Main St., Apt. 456; and 123 Main St., # 456. The standardizer 310may convert each of these entries to 123 Main St. 456 and encode thisrepresentation of the address rather than encoding each variation of theaddress.

The standardizer 310 may standardize a list in accordance with theteachings disclosed in the provisional application entitled, “A MethodFor Standardizing A Mailing Address, Enhanced Modified Delivery Point”,by Robert Snapp, filed on Mar. 22, 2001, which is incorporated byreference. The provisional application discloses a method forstandardizing a mailing address into a numeric string. As shown in FIG.6, a mailing address may be standardized by concatenating the nine-digitzip code of the address; a seven digit segment comprising the addressnumber (i.e., the primary number) preceding the address name and theaddress number (i.e., the secondary number) following the address name(e.g., the suite or apartment number); and a three digit segmentcomprising a numeric representation of up to two alphanumeric characterswhich may appear in the primary or secondary number (e.g., Apt. K). Theseven-digit segment may be padded with leading zeros if the total numberof digits in the primary number and secondary number is less than sevendigits. For the three digit segment, the numeric representation of asingle alphanumeric character in the primary or secondary number may beas follows: space=0, A=1, B-2, . . . , Z=26. The numeric representationof two alphanumeric characters in the primary or secondary number may bedetermined by multiplying the numeric value of the first alphanumericcharacter by 27 and then adding the value of the second alphanumericcharacter (e.g., AA=1×27+1; ZZ=26×27+26). It will be understood by thoseof ordinary skill in the art that a different standardization techniquemay be used to standardize a list of items.

Once a list item 102 is standardized, it is input to the hashingfunction unit 320. The hashing function unit 320 may execute a one-wayhash function, i.e., a function that transforms an input item making itdifficult to impossible to reproduce the input. For example, a one-wayhash function may take an input and produce an N-bit object having noobvious relationship to the input. Furthermore, a hash function mayproduce significantly different outputs for similar, but not identical,inputs. In an exemplary embodiment, the hashing function unit 320executes a secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1, which was developed by theNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and is an ANSIstandard encryption technique.

The SHA-1 transforms an input into a 160-bit (20 byte) object called amessage digest. The SHA-1 sequentially processes blocks of 512 bits whencomputing the message digest. Therefore, the SHA-1 pads an input bitstring to produce a bit string with a length that is a multiple, n, of512 prior to processing the input bit string. The SHA-1 pads the inputbit string by appending a “1n” to the input bit string, followed by anumber of “0”s depending on the original length of the input bit string,followed by a 64-bit integer representing the original length of theinput bit string. The number of “0”s appended to the input bit stringequals a number which will produce a bit string with a length that is amultiple of 512 once the “1”, the “0”s, and the 64-bit integer is addedto the input bit string. For example, to pad an input bit string with alength of 40, a “1” is appended to the input bit string, followed by407“0”s, followed by a 64-bit integer representing the length of theinput bit string (i.e., 40).

The padded input bit string is viewed as a sequence of n blocks M₁, M₂,. . . , M_(n), where M_(i) contains 16 words. Constant words K₀, K₁, . .. , K₇₉ are used in the SHA-1, where, in hex:

K_(t)=5A827999 (0≦t≦19)

K_(t)=6ED9EBA1 ((20≦t≦39)

K_(t)=8F1BBCDC (40≦t≦59)

K_(t)=CA52C1D6 (60≦t≦79)

To generate the 160-bit message digest, the SHA-1 processes the blocks,M_(i), for i=1, . . . , n. For each block, M_(i), the SHA-1 computesconstants words H₀, H₁, H₂, H₃, and H₄. Initially, for block M_(i),H₀=67452301, H₁=EFCDAB89, H₂=98BADCFE, H₃=10325476, and H₄=C3D2E1F0 (allin hex). H_(j) for j=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 for subsequent blocks, M_(i),initially equals the H_(j) computed for the previous block. The H₀, H₁,H₂, H₃, and H₄ computed for block M_(n) is the 160-bit message digest.

Each block, M_(i), is processed in the following manner. First, blockM_(i) is divided into 16 words, W₀, W₁, . . . , W₁₅. In addition, thefollowing variables are initialized: A=H₀, B=H₁, C=H₂, D=H₃, and E=H₄.For t=0 to 79, the SHA-1 computes the following equations:TEMP=S ⁵(A)+f _(t)(B,C,D)+E+W _(t) +K _(t)E=D; D=C; C=S ³⁰(B); B=A; A=TEMP

where:

S^(n)(X) is a circular shift of X by n positions to the leftf _(t)(B,C,D)=(BˆC)v(˜BˆD) (0≦t≦19)f _(t)(B,C,D)=B XOR C XOR D (20≦t≦39)f _(t)(B,C,D)=(BˆC)v(BˆD)v(CˆD) (40≦t≦59)f _(t)(B,C,D)=B XOR C XOR D (60≦t≦79)W _(t) =S ¹(W _(t-3) XOR W _(t-8) XOR W _(t-14) XOR W _(t-16)) (16≦t≦79)XˆY=bitwise logical “and” of X and YXvY=bitwise logical “inclusive-or” of X and YX XOR Y=bitwise logical “exclusive-or” of X and Y˜X=bitwise logical “complement” of XX+Y=(x+y) mod 2³² converted to a word, where x is the integer of X and yis the integer of Y.

After the above equations have been computed, H_(j) is computed asfollows:H ₀ =H ₀ +AH ₁ =H ₁ +BH ₂ =H ₂ +CH ₃ =H ₃ +DH ₄ =H ₄ +E

As stated above, the H₀, H₁, H₂, H₃, and H₄ computed for block M_(n) isthe 160-bit message digest.

The extraction circuit 330 extracts multiple n-bit samples from theN-bit object input from the hashing function unit 320. If the size ofthe bit array 110 is equal to 2^(x) bits, then the size of each sampleextracted from the N-bit object should be equal to or greater than xbits. The number of samples to extract from the N-bit sample maycorrespond to the number of bits that are turned on during the encodingprocess for each list item 102. In the case of the SHA-1, for example,the extraction circuit 330 may extract nine (9) 32-bit samples from the160-bit object input from the hashing function unit 320. FIG. 4illustrates an example of how an extraction circuit 330 may extractmultiple 32-bit samples 1 through 9 from a 160-bit object 410. Eachnumber block (i.e., 0, 1, 2, etc.) represents a byte. The multiple n-bitsamples extracted by the extraction circuit 330 are input to the offsetcircuit 340. It will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in theart that a different extraction technique may be employed.

The offset circuit 340 determines which bits in the bit array 110 toturn on based on the n-bit samples from the extraction circuit 330. Eachn-bit sample turns on a bit in the bit array 110. Therefore, in FIG. 4,a total of 9 bits in the bit array 110 will be turned based on the bitsamples 1 through 9, respectively. FIG. 4 illustrates how a 32-bitsample for the 160-bit-object 410 may be used to determine which bit ina bit array 110 to turn on. As shown in FIG. 4, a 32-bit sample isdivided into 2 objects. The first object comprises the leftmost threebits in the 32-bit sample. The second object comprises the remaining 29bits in the 32-bit sample. The second object determines which byte inthe bit array 110 contains the bit to be turned on. The first objectdetermines which bit in the byte to turn on. For example, a secondobject may determine that the first byte of a bit array 110 contains thebit to be turned on. The first object may determine that the third bitof the first byte of the bit array 110 is to be turned on, asillustrated in FIG. 1. It will be understood by a person of ordinaryskill in the art that a different technique may be employed to determinewhich bits to turn on in the bit array 110.

The encoder 107 may be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, orany combination thereof. The bit array 110 may be stored in anysemi-permanent or permanent holding place for digital data, such as amagnetic disk (e.g., floppy disk or hard disk), optical disk (e.g., CD,CD-ROM, DVD-ROM), or magnetic tape.

As discussed above, the size of the bit array 110 or the number of bitsthe encoder 107 turns on may be chosen to reduce the number of falsepositives that may result when a user makes an inquiry to the list 105.False positives result when the validation system 207 returns anaffirmative response although an inquiry item 202 is not on the list105. This occurs because all the bits checked by the validation system207 for the inquiry item 202 coincidentally where turned on by one ormore other list items 102 during the encoding process. The probabilityof a false positive equals $\left( \frac{S}{M} \right)^{k},$where M equals the number of bits in the bit array 110, S equals thetotal number of bits turned on in the bit array 110, and k equals thenumber of bits the encoder 107 turns on per list item 102. Furthermore,S, the total number of bits turned on in the bit array 110, isapproximately equal to${M\left( {1 - {\mathbb{e}}^{- \frac{Nk}{M}}} \right)},$where N equals the number of list items 102. M, the number of bits inthe bit array 110, and k, the number of bits turned on per list item102, may be chosen to minimize the number of false positives based onthe above equations. However, a higher false positive rate above theminimum may be chosen based on other considerations such as processingspeed.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary validation system 207 for validating aninquiry item 202. As discussed above, the validation system 207 utilizesthe same encoding process as used by the encoder 107. Therefore, thevalidation system 207 of FIG. 5 is similar to the encoder 107 of FIG. 3.The validation system 207 comprises a standardizer 510, a hashingfunction unit 520, an extraction circuit 530, and an offset circuit 540.

When an inquiry is made to determine whether an inquiry item 202 is on alist, it may be desirable to standardize the inquiry item 202 prior todetermining whether the inquiry item 202 is on the list. If an inquiryitem 202 is not standardized, the validation system 207 may incorrectlydetermine that the inquiry item 202 is not on the list simply because itis in a different format. The standardizer 510 may eliminate thisproblem by converting the inquiry item 202 into a standard format priorto validating. The standardizer 510 may operate in a same manner as thestandardizer 310. Once an inquiry item 202 is standardized, it is inputto the hashing function unit 520.

The hashing function unit 520 executes the same one-way hash functionthat is executed by the hashing function unit 320, generating an N-bitobject. The N-bit object is input to the extraction circuit 530.

The extraction circuit 530 extracts multiple n-bit samples from theN-bit object in the same manner that the extraction circuit 330 extractsmultiple n-bit samples. The multiple n-bit samples extracted by theextraction circuit 530 are input to the offset circuit 540.

The offset circuit 540 determines which bits in the bit array 110 totest based on the n-bit samples from the extraction circuit 530. Theoffset circuit 540 makes this determination in the same manner that theoffset circuit 340 determines which bits in the bit array 110 to turnon. The validation system 207 tests the bits indicated by the offsetcircuit 540. As discussed above, if the bits tested are all high, thenthe validation system 207 determines that the inquiry item 202 is on thelist 105; if at least one of the bits is low, then the validation system207 determines that the inquiry item 102 is not on the list 105.

The validation system 207 may be implemented in software embodiedlocally in a workstation or in a server as shown in FIG. 2.Alternatively, the validation system 207 may be implemented in firmware,hardware, or any combination of software, firmware, and hardware.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spiritof the invention being indicated by the following claims.

1-56. (canceled)
 57. A method for representing a list comprising namesusing a bit array wherein bits in the bit array are initialized to afirst value, comprising: extracting portions of the names; combining theportions to create standardized items that are smaller than the namesfrom which the portions were extracted; converting the standardizeditems to N-bit objects; determining bit positions based on the N-bitobjects; and setting bits of the bit array to a second value at thedetermined bit positions.
 58. The method according to claim 57, furthercomprising storing the bit array for use in determining whether aninquiry item is on the list.
 59. The method according to claim 57,wherein the converting comprises computing a hash function for thestandardized items.
 60. The method according to claim 59, wherein thehash function is secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1.
 61. The methodaccording to claim 57, wherein the determining comprises: extractingmultiple n-bit samples from the N-bit objects; dividing the n-bitsamples into a plurality of fields; and determining, for the n-bitsamples, bit positions based on the n-bit samples by using a first fieldof the plurality of fields to specify an address of a byte and using asecond field of the plurality of fields to indicate a specific bitposition within the byte.
 62. The method according to claim 57, furthercomprising: adding additional information not found in a selected nameto at least one of the portions, wherein the additional informationcorresponds to information related to the selected name.
 63. A methodfor determining whether an inquiry item is on a list comprising names,wherein names on the list have been standardized, wherein the list isrepresented by a bit array having first and second values, and whereinthe bit array was produced by converting the names into N-bit objectsand determining bit positions based on the N-bit objects, the methodcomprising: standardizing an inquiry item in a same manner as applied tothe names on the list to create a standardized inquiry item; convertingthe standardized inquiry item into a N-bit object, in a same manner asthe names are converted to produce the bit array; determining bitpositions based on the N-bit object in a same manner that bit positionsare determined for producing the bit array; and determining that theinquiry item is on the list if bits of the bit array equal a secondvalue at the determined bit positions and determining that the inquiryitem is not on the list if at least one bit of the bit array does notequal a second value at the determined bit positions.
 64. The methodaccording to claim 63, further comprising outputting a result indicatingwhether the inquiry item is or is not on the list.
 65. The methodaccording to claim 63, wherein the converting comprises computing a hashfunction for the standardized inquiry item.
 66. The method according toclaim 65, wherein the hash function is secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1.67. The method according to claim 63, wherein the determining bitpositions comprises: extracting multiple n-bit samples from the N-bitobject; dividing the n-bit samples into a plurality of fields; anddetermining, for the n-bit samples, bit positions based on the n-bitsamples by using a first field of the plurality of fields to specify anaddress of a byte and using a second field of the plurality of fields toindicate a specific bit position within the byte.
 68. The methodaccording to claim 63, wherein the standardizing an inquiry itemcomprises: extracting portions of the inquiry item; and combining theportions to create the standardized inquiry item.
 69. The methodaccording to claim 68, further comprising: adding additional informationnot found in an inquiry item to at least one of the portions, whereinthe additional information corresponds to information related to theinquiry item.
 70. A computer for representing a list comprising namesusing a bit array wherein bits in the bit array are initialized to afirst value, the computer comprising: a memory having programminginstructions; and a processor, responsive to the programminginstructions, configured to: extract portions of the names; combine theportions to create standardized items that are smaller than the namesfrom which the portions were extracted; convert the standardized itemsto N-bit objects; determine bit positions based on the N-bit objects;and set bits of the bit array to a second value at the determined bitpositions.
 71. The computer according to claim 70, wherein the processoris further configured to store the bit array for use in determiningwhether an inquiry item is on the list.
 72. The computer according toclaim 70, wherein the converting comprises computing a hash function forthe standardized items.
 73. The computer according to claim 72, whereinthe hash function is secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1.
 74. The computeraccording to claim 70, wherein the determining comprises: extractingmultiple n-bit samples from the N-bit objects; dividing the n-bitsamples into a plurality of fields; and determining, for the n-bitsamples, bit positions based on the n-bit samples by using a first fieldof the plurality of fields to specify an address of a byte and using asecond field of the plurality of fields to indicate a specific bitposition within the byte.
 75. The computer according to claim 70,wherein the processor is further configured to add additionalinformation not found in a selected name to at least one of theportions, wherein the additional information corresponds to informationrelated to the selected name.
 76. A computer for determining whether aninquiry item is on a list comprising names, wherein names on the listhave been standardized, wherein the list is represented by a bit arrayhaving first and second values, and wherein the bit array was producedby converting the names into N-bit objects and determining bit positionsbased on the N-bit objects, the computer comprising: a memory havingprogramming instructions; and a processor, responsive to the programminginstructions, configured to: standardize an inquiry item in a samemanner as applied to the names on the list to create a standardizedinquiry item; convert the standardized inquiry item into a N-bit objectin a same manner as the names are converted to produce the bit array;determine bit positions based on the N-bit object in a same manner thatbit positions are determined for producing the bit array; and determinethat the inquiry item is on the list if bits of the bit array equal asecond value at the determined bit positions and determine that theinquiry item is not on the list if at least one bit of the bit arraydoes not equal a second value at the determined bit positions.
 77. Thecomputer according to claim 76, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to output a result indicating whether the inquiry item is oris not on the list.
 78. The computer according to claim 76, wherein theconverting comprises computing a hash function for the standardizedinquiry item.
 79. The computer according to claim 78, wherein the hashfunction is secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1.
 80. The computer accordingto claim 76, wherein the determining bit positions comprises: extractingmultiple n-bit samples from the N-bit object; dividing the n-bit samplesinto a plurality of fields; and determining, for the n-bit samples, bitpositions based on the n-bit samples by using a first field of theplurality of fields to specify an address of a byte and using a secondfield of the plurality of fields to indicate a specific bit positionwithin the byte.
 81. The computer according to claim 76, wherein thestandardizing further comprises: extracting portions of the inquiryitem; combining the portions to create the standardized inquiry item.82. The computer according to claim 81, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to add additional information not found in an inquiry item toat least one of the portions, wherein the additional informationcorresponds to information related to the inquiry item.
 83. A system forrepresenting a list comprising names using a bit array wherein bits inthe bit array are initialized to a first value, comprising: means forextracting portions of the names; means for combining the portions tocreate standardized items that are smaller than the names from which theportions were extracted; means for converting the standardized items toN-bit objects; means for determining bit positions based on the N-bitobjects; and means for setting bits of the bit array to a second valueat the determined bit positions.
 84. The system according to claim 83,further comprising means for storing the bit array for use indetermining whether an inquiry item is on the list.
 85. The systemaccording to claim 83, wherein the means for converting comprises meansfor computing a hash function for the standardized items.
 86. The systemaccording to claim 85, wherein the hash function is secure hashingalgorithm, SHA-1.
 87. The system according to claim 83, wherein themeans for determining comprises: means for extracting multiple n-bitsamples from the N-bit objects; means for dividing the n-bit samplesinto a plurality of fields; and means for determining, for the n-bitsamples, bit positions based on the n-bit samples by using a first fieldof the plurality of fields to specify an address of a byte and using asecond field of the plurality of fields to indicate a specific bitposition within the byte.
 88. The system according to claim 83, furthercomprising: means for adding additional information not found in aselected name to at least one of the portions, wherein the additionalinformation corresponds to information related to the selected name. 89.A system for determining whether an inquiry item is on a list comprisingnames, wherein names on the list have been standardized, wherein thelist is represented by a bit array having first and second values, andwherein the bit array was produced by converting the names into N-bitobjects and determining bit positions based on the N-bit objects, themethod comprising: means for standardizing an inquiry item in a samemanner as applied to the names on the list to create a standardizedinquiry item; means for converting the standardized inquiry item into aN-bit object in a same manner as the names are converted to produce thebit array; means for determining bit positions based on the N-bit objectin a same manner that bit positions are determined for producing the bitarray; and means for determining that the inquiry item is on the list ifbits of the bit array equal a second value at the determined bitpositions and determining that the inquiry item is not on the list if atleast one bit of the bit array does not equal a second value at thedetermined bit positions.
 90. The system according to claim 89, furthercomprising means for outputting a result indicating whether the inquiryitem is or is not on the list.
 91. The system according to claim 89,wherein the means for converting comprises means for computing a hashfunction for the standardized inquiry item.
 92. The system according toclaim 91, wherein the hash function is secure hashing algorithm, SHA-1.93. The system according to claim 89, wherein the means for determiningbit positions comprises: means for extracting multiple n-bit samplesfrom the N-bit object; means for dividing the n-bit samples into aplurality of fields; and means for determining, for the n-bit samples,bit positions based on the n-bit samples by using a first field of theplurality of fields to specify an address of a byte and using a secondfield of the plurality of fields to indicate a specific bit positionwithin the byte.
 94. The system according to claim 89, wherein the meansfor standardizing comprises: means for extracting portions of theinquiry item in a same manner as applied to the names; means forcombining the portions to create a standardized inquiry item in a samemanner as applied to the names;
 95. The system according to claim 94,further comprising: means for adding additional information not found inan inquiry item to at least one of the portions, wherein the additionalinformation corresponds to information related to the inquiry item. 96.A method for representing a list comprising license numbers using a bitarray wherein the bits in the bit array are initialized to a firstvalue, comprising: extracting portions of the license numbers; combiningthe portions to create standardized items that are smaller than thelicense numbers from which the portions were extracted; converting thestandardized items to N-bit objects; determining bit positions based onthe N-bit objects; setting bits of the bit array to a second value atthe determined bit positions; and storing the bit array for use indetermining whether an inquiry item is on the list.
 97. The methodaccording to claim 96, wherein the converting comprises computing a hashfunction for the standardized items.
 98. The method according to claim96, wherein the determining comprises: extracting multiple n-bit samplesfrom the N-bit objects; dividing the n-bit samples into a plurality offields; and determining, for the n-bit samples, bit positions based onthe n-bit samples by using a first field of the plurality of fields tospecify an address of a byte and using a second field of the pluralityof fields to indicate a specific bit position within the byte.
 99. Themethod according to claim ˜96, further comprising: adding additionalinformation not found in a selected license number to at least one ofthe portions, wherein the additional information corresponds toinformation related to a license corresponding to the selected licensenumber.
 100. A method for determining whether an inquiry item is on alist comprising license numbers, wherein license numbers on the listhave been standardized by extracting and combining portions of thelicense numbers, wherein the list is represented by a bit array havingfirst and second values, and wherein the bit array was produced byconverting the license numbers into N-bit objects and determining bitpositions based on the N-bit objects, the method comprising: extractingportions of the inquiry item in a same manner as applied to the licensenumbers; combining the portions to create a standardized inquiry item ina same manner as applied to the license numbers; converting thestandardized inquiry item into a N-bit object in a same manner as thelicense numbers are converted to produce the bit array; determining bitpositions based on the N-bit object in a same manner that bit positionsare determined for producing the bit array; determining that the inquiryitem is on the list if bits of the bit array equal a second value at thedetermined bit positions and determining that the inquiry item is not onthe list if at least one bit of the bit array does not equal a secondvalue at the determined bit positions; and outputting a resultindicating whether the inquiry item is or is not on the list.
 101. Themethod according to claim 100, wherein the converting comprisescomputing a hash function for the standardized inquiry item.
 102. Themethod according to claim 100, wherein the determining bit positionscomprises: extracting multiple n-bit samples from the N-bit object;dividing the n-bit samples into a plurality of fields; and determining,for the n-bit samples, bit positions based on the n-bit samples by usinga first field of the plurality of fields to specify an address of a byteand using a second field of the plurality of fields to indicate aspecific bit position within the byte.
 103. The method according toclaim 100, further comprising: adding additional information not foundin an inquiry item to at least one of the portions in a same manner asapplied to license numbers on the list, wherein the additionalinformation corresponds to information from a license corresponding tothe selected license number.